Tim Ferriss shares Jim Carrey’s viral video speech: depression vs sadness
Tim Ferriss recently shared a video with his audience that features Jim Carrey speaking to a large group of college graduates. In the speech, Carrey shares his interpretation of depression vs sadness.
He first illustrates what he sees as the major difference between depression vs sadness:
“People talk about depression all the time. The difference between depression and sadness is sadness is just from happenstance — whatever happened or didn’t happen for you, or grief, or whatever it is. Depression is your body saying f*** you, I don’t want to be this character anymore, I don’t want to hold up this avatar that you’ve created in the world. It’s too much for me.
You should think of the word ‘depressed’ as ‘deep rest.’ Your body needs to be depressed. It needs deep rest from the character that you’ve been trying to play.”
Then he explains what he learned about mental health from a friend by the name of Jeff Foster.
Who is Jeff Foster? He’s an author and spiritual teacher who worked directly with Jim Carrey, explaining a unique way to interpret the emotions felt by those experiencing a decline in health due to suffering from deep depression.
Carrey goes on to describe what he learned from Jeff Foster, who believes that we should interpret the word “depressed” as deep rest. And that at certain times, our bodies need deep rest from the character (or avatar) that we’ve been trying to play.
Understanding the difference: depression vs sadness
If what teacher Foster shared is correct, then dealing with depression goes beyond simply overcoming a series of difficult or negative events and situations.
Sadness is an emotion that may feel all-encompassing at times but also includes moments of joy, happiness, and laughter. Depression is different from sadness as the feelings will affect all aspects of life, making it difficult to feel happy about anything at all.
While it’s considered to be a mental illness by the medical community, it may also be a time for much-needed “deep rest,” as Foster explained.
The “happy place” we are searching for
Carrey on chasing happiness and success: “I wish people could realize all their dreams and wealth and fame… so that they could see that it’s not where you’re gonna find your sense of completion […] There will always be someone who’s doing better than you. No matter what you gain, your ego will […] tell you that you cannot stop.”
A ‘happy place’ is realizing that you’re everything you know, and that there’s no real you involved in the first place.
Jim Carrey
Watch Jim Carrey’s speech in its entirety in the video below:
Jim Carrey – The Real You
Is your mental health stopping you from achieving your biggest goals and dreams?
Health and mental wellness is about so much more than opting for a pharmaceutical treatment (or services) you might receive from your doctor. Depression is a major cause of procrastination that can halt motivation and stop you from achieving our goals.
According to a new study, the average person wastes 34 hours a week (that’s an entire month of 2022 – gone)! So it’s not a surprise that people who successfully cut procrastination from their lives are statistically wealthier, happier, and more motivated.
My brain coach, John Assaraf, has discovered the proven science to eliminate procrastination. These secrets allowed him to get 3X more done in literally half the time… AND grow his business to $4.5 BILLION a year in sales with his life-changing trainings and services.
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Joe Dispenza – “Learn the Science of Changing your Mind”
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